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Highway Maintenance

A snowplow plows a lane of I-43 in Milwaukee County behind two cars.

We keep county and state highways safe and functional at the lowest cost to taxpayers.

The Highway Maintenance Division is responsible for providing state and county highway maintenance year-round. Our services include snow and ice removal, litter pickup, sign maintenance and replacement, streetlight and signal maintenance, pavement repair, and vegetation control. The division also funds the inspection of county-owned bridges.

Two Milwaukee County plows clear lanes alongside traffic.

Snow and Ice Control

During winter weather, the Highway Maintenance division keeps county, state, and interstate roadways clear from ice and snow through plowing, salting, and de-icing.

Learn More About Snow and Ice Control 

Milwaukee County Highway Maintenance crews pick up litter along a highway.

Litter Pickup

MCDOT is contracted by the Wisonsin Department of Transportation to provide litter pickup services once each per year.

Each spring, annual litter removal is scheduled to occur once snowfall is gone and the ground has thawed enough to collect roadway debris.

Learn More About Litter Pickup

Milwaukee County Highway Maintenance Services crews filling potholes.

Pavement and Bridge Repairs

County crews provide pavement and bridge repair services to ensure our roadways are save for the traveling public. 

Our team provides cost-effective repairs to help maintain infrastructure before it is ready for full resurfacing or repaving.  

Pavement marking equipment sprays a line of yellow paint on pavement.

Pavement Marking & Sign Maintenance

Pavement marking and sign maintenance keeps roads safe by ensuring drivers are provided with the information they need to make good decisions. 

Our crews make sure signs are clean, visible, and in good condition for drivers by providing services like sign and signal repair, maintenances, and graffiti removal. 

Milwaukee County Highway Maintenance crews put downed trees into a chipper along the side of a highway.

Tree and Vegetation Management

Highway Maintenance Services crews provide tree and vegetation management services year-round. 

Removing unwanted vegetation along roadsides helps drivers see signs and markings, reduces the risk of collisions, and protects infrastructure like power lines and fences. This includes removing and pruning trees, brush removal, and mowing. 

Two traffic signals against a blue sky with a turn only sign.

Light & Traffic Signal Maintenance

Highway maintenance staff inspect, clean, and repair lights and traffic signals to ensure they function properly for the safe, efficient flow of traffic.

Highway Maintenance Division

Eduardo Santiago
Highway Director
10320 Watertown Plank Rd.
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
(414) 257-6566

Who Maintains My Road? 

Knowing who oversees local roads in Milwaukee County can be confusing. 

Use our interactive maps to determine who to contact to report issues sucah as mowing responsibility, road conditions, potholes, and signs down.

Road Maintenance Responsibility

Mowing Areas Map

Report A Road Issue

Citizen Issue Reporter

Issues you can report:

  • Long grass
  • Gravel shoulder washouts/ruts
  • Loose manhole cover
  • Mailbox down
  • Potholes
  • Roadkill
  • Downed trees
  • Fallen signs
  • Slippery conditions
  • Light outages

Be sure your issue is in the orange Highway Maintenance area. Other areas are not within our jurisdiction. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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  Who is responsible for the maintenance on my road?

Please use this interactive map to find Road Maintenance Responsibility. If a road that is maintained by Milwaukee County needs maintenance services please use the Citizen Issue Reporter to report it.

  Is there a way to get roadside litter or debris cleaned up?

MCDOT follws the WisDOT policy on litter removal from the County Right of Way. This applies to urban and rural roadways. MCDOT will pick up litter one time prior to mowing season.

  Grass is tall in the median in front of my house. Can someone please come out to cut it?

MCDOT follows a typical 4-6 week mowing rotation dependent upon weather.  Double check mowing responsibilities with the Mowing Areas Map to be sure the county maintains it.

  Why does MCDOT only provide litter pickup once per year?

Milwaukee County only receives funding to conduct litter pickup time each year. All 72 county highway departments in the state maintain interstates, federal, and state numbered highways as contracted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

  How does MCDOT determine how much salt to use on roadways?

MCDOT follows best practices to maintain safe roads during the winter to and to use salt efficiently.

  • For winter 2024/25, we have primarily used salt brine on our roads to reduce the use of salt.
  • All MCDOT Highway staff are trained on an annual basis in partnership with Salt WISE Wisconsin.
  • All MCDOT trucks have preset controls on the salters to prevent overuse of salt.
  When is the fleet auction held?

Periodically, MCDOT, in partnership with Auction Associates, Inc., holds a public auction of vehicles ranging from lawn mowers to semi trucks with snow plows attached. The best way to be informed of the next auction date is to sign up for updates.

Subscribe to Fleet Auction Updates

MILWAUKEE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Donna Brown-Martin, Director
10320 W. Watertown Plank Rd., 2nd Floor
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
(414) 257-5992

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